


Bidding on Bucky

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Bucky Barnes x Reader Series [7]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, PG-13 sexual situations, Probably a curse word or two, flirty banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21899953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: Winning the Lottery is a dream shared by most people, but your idea of how to spend the money is quite different than everyone else.  What happens when you put it all on the line for the chance to spend the night with the man of your dreams?
Relationships: Bucky Barnes x Reader
Series: Bucky Barnes x Reader Series [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/774297
Comments: 10
Kudos: 51





	Bidding on Bucky

**Bucky Barnes x Reader**

**Summary** – Winning the Lottery is a dream shared by most people, but your idea of how to spend the money is quite different than everyone else. What happens when you put it all on the line for the chance to spend the night with the man of your dreams?

**Warnings** – Fluff, Flirty banter, PG-13 Sexytimes. . .probably a curse word or two

**Word Count** – 9.5K

**Notes:** Parts 1 - 9 of 9

** _**Updated December 22, 2019**_ **

_ ** [Masterlist](https://beccaanne814.tumblr.com/post/174989754188/masterlist) ** _

[[MORE]]

YN sat in front of the TV screen with her ticket in hand. Everyone had told her it was crazy to waste her money on the lottery, but what if her single dollar bill landed her millions?

"44, 3, 10, 19, 17," the announcer called out as the little white balls bounced around and rolled into the chute one by one.

She held her breath as she stared at the ticket in her shaking hand. So far she'd gotten the first five numbers correct, but it was that last number that would determine if she won the jackpot.

"And your PowerBall number tonight is. . .1."

YN screamed as she jumped up from the couch and started dancing around her apartment. She'd won. Somehow she'd won the lottery.

All of her friends had told her she was crazy not to have quit her job and moved out of New York, but YN had other plans. She wasn't interested in being a pampered rich diva who ate caviar on her yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean. When she'd bought her ticket she'd had one goal in mind and she planned on seeing it through.

The sleek black gown she'd splurged on fit her curves like a glove and she knew she looked good as she walked into the elaborately decorated ballroom. Heads turned as she sauntered by, but there was only one man she was interested in impressing.

"So, which one are you bidding on tonight?" the brunet at the bar asked her as he sipped from his glass of whiskey.

"I'm not telling," she said with a mischievous smile.

"Scared I might try to outbid you?" he asked as he gave her a once over.

YN thought about the millions sitting in her bank account and laughed. There was no way anyone was going to outbid her tonight.

He frowned and looked down at the drink in his hand. "Don't you think it's a bit crass?"

"Maybe, but is for charity, after all," she reminded him with a shrug. 

The emcee for the night took the stage and announced that the auction was about to begin. YN wasn't sure which one of the Avengers had come up with the idea, but looking around the room at the rich debutants all but salivating at the opportunity to purchase an evening with a real-life superhero, she realized that it had been a golden one.

The brunet stayed by her side and kept her amused with his own commentary as one by one, each of the Avengers was auctioned off to the highest bidder.

"You haven't made a bid yet, doll."

She turned and gave him a wink. "They haven't auctioned off the guy I came here tonight to get."

He nodded as he looked up at the stage. Only Tony and Steve remained, so he assumed that the beautiful dame beside him had her heart set on his best friend. She seemed to be more his type, but he was sure Steve would enjoy her company for an evening if she were lucky enough to outbid all the other women in the room.

YN hadn't been surprised when Pepper Potts offered the winning bid for Tony. She was a ruthless businesswoman and saw the benefit of donating her well-earned money to a good cause, as well as keeping her new husband out of the clutches of some desperate woman who would most likely try to break the rules and get a little handsy with her prize for the evening.

"You're up, doll," Bucky whispered into YN's ear as the emcee brought Steve front and center.

"Not yet," she said cryptically as she took another sip of her champagne.

He kept waiting for her to throw out her bid for Steve, but she just leaned back against the bar and watched the proceedings with a bored look on her face. When the emcee took the final bid for his best friend, he stole at glance at the woman beside him. She didn't seem the least bit fazed that the auction was over.

"I want to thank everyone again for coming out," the emcee began as the string quartet began quietly tuning in the background.

"I'd like to offer one final bid," YN announced as a hush fell over the room and everyone turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry, miss," the emcee began, "but the auction is closed."

"I've got ten million dollars that says it's not," she fired back with a smirk.

The emcee began to argue, but Tony ran up the stairs to the stage and took the mike from him. "As much as we'd love to have your generous donation, I'm afraid all of the superheroes have been spoken for."

"You forgot one," YN argued, undeterred by Tony's words.

Tony narrowed his eyes and considered her for a moment. "Okay. I'll bite. Who ya want?"

A slow smile spread across YN's face. "James Buchanan Barnes." She heard Bucky inhale sharply beside her, but she was waiting to see what Tony would say before she chanced a glance in his direction.

Tony's eyes widened for a moment before he shook his head with a laugh. "Sold." The crowd erupted with noise at her choice, but Tony held up a finger for silence. "But only if you keep him."

YN finally turned to Bucky, who had a look of surprised wonder on his face. She waited until his eyes met hers before answering Tony. "Deal."

"This auction was supposed to be for Avengers only," Bucky told her after she'd given her bank account information to the emcee and returned to the bar for her prize.

"And we both know you should have been up there with the rest of them," she said as she narrowed her eyes. "Why weren't you? Was is Stark or Wilson?"

Bucky was surprised by her question, so he didn't answer right away. 

Sensing that she'd hit a nerve, she waved away his concerns and tried to change the subject. "So, I've just lost every dime of my lottery winnings. What do I get for it?"

He saw what she was trying to do, and he was grateful for it, but for some reason he felt as though he needed to clear the air. "It was my decision."

A look of confusion passed over her features. "What?"

"Your earlier question," he clarified as he reached for his glass of whiskey and quickly drank the rest of it. "It was my decision not to be in the auction. Wilson and Stark had nothing to do with it." He shrugged as he remembered the argument he'd had with Tony over the matter. "They actually encouraged me to participate, but I begged off."

"Why?"

He rubbed the back of his neck and dropped his gaze so he wouldn't have to meet her searching eyes any longer. "I didn't think anyone would bid on me."

His answer had her heart constricting in her chest. For all of his bravado this evening, he still had doubts about the public's acceptance of his unwilling role in HYDRA's schemes. She racked her brain trying to find something to say, but he beat her to it.

"I guess Fate had other plans, though."

She thought about the series of events that had led her to this moment. The freak rain storm that had driven her into the tiny convenience store a few blocks from her apartment where she'd found a discarded newspaper on top of the candy bars that had told the story of James Buchanan Barnes. The sudden urge to buy a lottery ticket using numbers she'd read in the story. Three, ten, nineteen, and seventeen were chosen because of his date of birth on March 10, 1917. Forty-four was the year he'd been presumed dead in Austria when the Howling Commandos had apprehended Arnim Zola. And one was because the reporter had described him as the longest serving prisoner of war in American history—a one of kind hero.

The only explanation for her being at the auction tonight was Fate, but she wasn't complaining. She'd read his story in the paper and then spent days searching for every scrap of information she could find on him. Her heart had broken for the man they'd called the Winter Soldier, and she'd known the second she'd won the prize money that she would use it to purchase the opportunity to meet the man himself.

She wasn't a silly love-struck teenager, but she also wasn't dead, either. Up close, he was more handsome that she'd imagined and being so close to him throughout the night had kept her in a state of heightened anticipation. With every comment he'd whispered in her ear throughout the night, she'd become even more enamored of him and wondered if she needn't spend a dime to land a date with him. She'd almost suggested the two of them leave, but when she'd realized he thought she was there for his best friend, she knew she had to go through with her plan—he needed the confidence boost and she had the money to spare.

Now she was glad she had. Ten million was a small price to pay to make Bucky Barnes see his own worth. She wasn't sure if she'd ever tell him the whole story—he'd probably never believe it anyway—but she planned to enjoy every second of the time she had with him.

"It does seem like Fate destined us to meet," she agreed with a sultry smile. "So, back to my question. What does ten million buy me?"

Steve had been the one to outline the guidelines of the auction that forbade any risqué assignations, but Bucky never was much one for following someone else's rules. YN was looking at him like no woman had in decades, and she'd orchestrated this entire evening to get him to herself. Maybe it was time he took a leap and let himself live a little. 

With his mind made up, he placed a hand on her hip and drew her flush against him as he whispered seductively in her ear. "Any damn thing you want, doll."

YN would've been more than willing to go back to her place, but Bucky had insisted on taking her somewhere to eat first. The auction had been serving fancy hors d'oeuvres, but he was more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy. If she were being honest with herself, the little snacks served on silver platters hadn't been her kind of food, either.

She could feel the stares of the other patrons in the diner Bucky had taken her to, but she didn't care. They might have been the best dressed people in the place, but they were just as hungry as anyone else there.

"They serve breakfast here all day long," Bucky commented as he tilted the plastic menu down to meet her gaze across the table.

"I take it that's what you're having?"

Bucky nodded. "Yep. Pancakes with a side of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. What about you?"

She thought for a moment. "That actually sounds pretty good right about now."

The waitress came over with her little note pad and Bucky took the liberty of ordering for them both. He glanced her way to check if she wanted her eggs cooked differently than his, but when she shook her head, he ordered both meals exactly the same.

"Have you always been a fan of breakfast for dinner?" she asked once Marge had topped off their coffees and left to put their order in.

Bucky laughed softly. "I've loved pancakes since I was a little kid. My ma used to make them for me on Saturday mornings growing up. I had to fight my sister's for the last one, but it was worth the scratches and kicks under the table."

"You've lived a pretty long life, haven't you?" she asked hesitantly.

He heard the tentative note in her tone of voice, and he appreciated that she wasn't being pushy. "That's one way of putting it."

"Would you tell me about your childhood? I've always been interested in that time period, but it often gets overlooked between the two world wars and the Depression."

"It wasn't perfect, but I had a good life," he began as his mind began pulling up memories he hadn't thought of in years. "I had three younger sisters, so money was always a bit tight. My ma stayed home and took care of us, but on occasion she'd earn extra money sewing for the wealthier ladies in Brooklyn. Dad was in the Army, so they moved around a lot before they had kids. We came to Brooklyn after WWI, and that's when I met Steve."

"You weren't originally from Brooklyn?" she asked in wonder. 

"No, I was born in Shelbyville, Indiana, but I was too young to remember much about it. The only home I've ever known is Brooklyn."

"Did your dad serve in WWI?"

Bucky nodded his head. "Yeah, he was a decorated soldier in the First World War. He was killed in a training exercise just before America entered the second one." He paused and sighed. "I avoided going over there for as long as I could. Ma needed the money I brought home to help with the girls, and Steve had just lost his ma—his dad had died from a mustard gas attack in WWI before he was ever born."

"That's so sad. I never knew Captain Rogers had never met his father."

"It was an ugly time back then," Bucky said with a shake of his head. "War after war with the Depression thrown in the middle. But life was simpler than it is today. People took care of one another, so it was easier to get by when times got tough."

YN's expression grew sad. "It all looks so fun and romantic from the photos—the twenties, especially. All the fancy dresses and speakeasies make it seem more glamorous that it really was."

"There were some people that got to enjoy those things," he said with a shrug. "But they were Gatsby's and Buchanan's, not Barnes' and Rogers'."

"And what's your life like now?" she asked as Marge brought their plates of food to the table.

Bucky waited until after he'd taken a huge bite of his pancakes before answering. "Having Steve back in my life makes things easier, but I'm still trying to get used to it all."

"I don't want to bring up any bad memories. . ."

"I'm coming to terms with my years with HYDRA," he interrupted with a sad smile. "Don't feel bad for asking—it was a huge part of my life. Not a great part, but you can't run away from your past forever."

"You know the world sees you as a hero, right?"

"Is that how you see me?"

She took few bites of her food and washed them down with some coffee as she thought about his question. "I see you as a man. You're not perfect, but then again, no one is. We all have skeletons in our closet that we'd rather forget about. Yours have just been put on display for the whole world to see." She paused and pushed her hash browns around on the plate. "It's obvious that you're making amends for what you perceive to be the crimes you've committed. I don't think it's your fault, though. You're just as much of as a hero as the other people at that auction tonight."

Bucky narrowed his gaze at her. "Did Steve pay you to say all that?"

"What? No." She laughed and shook her head. "I've never even met Steve Rogers."

He finished off his pancakes, all the while still staring at her. "You're smart, you're funny, and you're beautiful. So, why are you wasting your time with me?"

"I don't know," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "You're smart, you're funny, and you're beautiful, so you tell me."

He pulled out his wallet and laid a few twenties on the table. Nodding toward her plate, he asked, "You finished?"

"Maybe," she said teasingly. "Depends on what you have planned next."

He gave her a wink. "Oh, no, doll. This is your dime—you call the shots."

The look she gave him could only be described as sultry. "Well, in that case. . ."

YN hadn't really planned for the eventuality of getting Bucky Barnes all to herself for the evening, but now that they were in the back of her rented limo, she realized that the chemistry between them was electric. She'd told the driver to take her back to her place and she'd noticed how desire had begun to cloud his eyes. Her stomach was doing somersaults just thinking about what pleasures this night would bring.

When they exited the limo, Bucky let out a low whistle. "These are some fancy digs."

She looked up at the building she'd only called home for a few weeks and had no trouble seeing it from Bucky's perspective. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't stare at her new apartment building in awe.

"I gave most of the money to charity tonight," she told him as she pointed toward a set of windows high above the sidewalk. "But I decided to splurge on an apartment with a great view of Central Park."

The doorman held open the door for her and Bucky and greeted her by name. "Thank you, George. Have a nice night."

"You know the doorman's name?" Bucky asked as she led them to the bank of elevators across the marble-floored lobby.

"Yeah," she said as her brows drew together. "I know them all. George and Carlos work the night shift, and Lee and Edward work days."

Bucky shook his head. "Doll, you are just one surprise after the other."

"Why?" she asked as she hit the button for the roof. "Because I bothered to learn the name of the men who hold open the door for me?"

"Most people would get the kind of money you got and then forget that the rest of the world existed."

"I'm not most people."

He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. "No. No, you're not."

She'd been expecting him to kiss her, but the elevator dinged softly and the doors began to open. With a reluctant sigh, she untangled herself from his arms and stepped out onto the roof. "This is us."

Bucky looked around in confusion at the lush garden that had been created on the roof. "I thought we were going to your place?"

She gave him a mischievous smile. "I thought we might get our feet wet before we called it a night."

He watched her quickly disappear behind a large ornamental tree as he tried to figure out what she was talking about. A few moments later, he heard a splash and all of sudden he knew exactly what she was up to.

When he rounded the corner, the first thing he saw was her dress lying in a heap by the edge of the pool. His gaze roamed over the darkened water until he finally spotted her treading water in the deep end.

"It's not lighted?" he asked as he began loosing the knot of his tie.

"It is," she said. "But they turn them off at ten o'clock."

"So, we're not allowed up here right now?"

She watched him slip off his tuxedo jacket and drape it over one of the lounge chairs before starting on the buttons of his shirt. "I own this place, so I can do what I want."

Bucky paused. "When you say you own this place. . ."

"The building," she clarified as she swam to the edge and crossed her arms on the tiled border. "My financial advisor said it was a good investment, so I bought the whole building."

"Well, isn't that convenient," he murmured as he shrugged off his shirt and began loosening the button of his fly.

She swallowed hard and contemplated looking away, but the sight of his muscular torso with its black and gold vibranium arm had her completely mesmerized.

He paused with his fingers on his zipper. "Like what you see so far?"

"No buyer's remorse just yet," she teased, trying to sound more confident that she actually felt.

"I'm just another one of your investments, aren't I?" He chuckled and stepped out of the pants leaving him in only a pair of Hugo Boss boxer briefs. He glanced around the pool deck for a moment before eyeing her carefully. "You're not naked, are you?"

She smiled and glanced at her bare shoulders. "Nope, strapless bra. . .with a matching thong. . .if you're interested."

"Oh, I'm interested," he said in a low, husky voice just before he took a running leap into the pool.

His cannonball had water sloshing all over the deck, but she didn't have time to worry about her dress since he was by her side within seconds of hitting the water. His arms were on either side of her, caging her in against the wall of the pool, but she didn't feel trapped.

"How's the water?" she murmured, blurting out the first thing that came to her mind.

"Perfect," he answered as he leaned in and captured her mouth with his.

She'd expected the kiss to be full of heat and desire, but his lips were soft as they gently brushed across hers. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the anticipation of what was to come slowly started to drive her insane. She was desperate for more, but he seemed to be content to lazily caress her lips with his own, so she tamped down her own desire and let him set the pace.

He could still taste the sweet syrup from the pancakes they'd just shared mixed with a spice that he knew must be uniquely her. From what he'd seen in the movies these days, no one really took the time to properly set the scene, so to speak. When he'd been courting dames back in the thirties and forties, kissing was as far as he'd gotten with most of the ladies. There were a lot of times a steamy make-out session was all he was guaranteed, so he'd learned to make the most of it. Now, however, he relished the idea of holding her in his arms and kissing her all night long.

When he felt her tongue tentatively brush against his mouth, he relented and parted his lips for her. As she deepened the kiss, her legs wound themselves around his waist. The feel of her wet body pressed against his coupled with the intoxicating things she was doing to him with her mouth had him tipping dangerously close to the edge of reason. 

He let go of the pool edge and flattened his palms against her back as he pushed them back from the wall into the murky depths. The surge of water that was created startled her and she pulled back with a confused look on her face.

"You alright?" she asked, her voice coming out in a breathy whisper as she tried to catch her breath.

"Better than alright," he said as he nipped at her bottom lip. 

Taking advantage of the situation, he began to kiss along her jaw and when she tipped her head back in bliss, he continued down her neck. When he reached her collarbone, he traced its outline with his tongue, drawing a ragged moan from her.

"Bucky."

The huskiness in her voice as she said his name was like music to his ears and his lips turned up in a smile as he continued to suckle at her neck. "Yes, doll?"

She threaded her fingers into his hair and pulled his head back so that she could look into his eyes. "I think I'm done swimming for tonight."

His brows raised. "You sure?"

"I've got a ridiculously expensive bed downstairs that hasn't been properly broken in just yet. You think you're up. . ." She paused and glanced down for a moment before meeting his gaze again and finishing her thought. ". . .for the challenge?"

He shook his head and his brows drew together. "I'm not sure about that. It might take me a couple tries to get it right."

"You're saying it might take you all night, huh?" She unwound her legs from around his waist and swam over to the stairs. Taking her time, she slowly climbed out of the pool and walked over to her crumpled dress.

He followed behind her and grabbed her hips as he leaned over to place a kiss on her shoulder. "That's not going to be a problem, is it?"

She turned in his arms, clutching the dress to her chest. "I doubt I'll have any complaints, Sarge."

The sound of his rank coming from her lips shouldn't have affected him the way it did, but he couldn't deny the flood of desire that shot through him upon hearing his old nickname. He reached over for his clothes and then nodded toward the elevator. "Lead the way, doll."

Every morning that she'd awoken between the insanely high-thread count sheets had been like a dream come true, but the morning she'd awoken still wrapped in the arms of Bucky Barnes had to be the best morning of her life. 

As her mind began replaying the events of the previous night, her body slowly started to come awake as well. She'd spent some time the night before wondering if the super soldier serum running through his veins heightened all aspects of his physicality, and she'd been pleased to find out first-hand that it did.

Running a hand down his bare torso, she began to lightly kiss along his jaw until a low growl rumbled within his chest and he playfully flipped her onto her back. Her giggle of delight soon turned into a moan of pleasure as he began teasing and tormenting her until she felt like a delicate piece of glass that would shatter under the slightest pressure.

He'd continued his onslaught of her body in the shower with its twenty-six jets pulsating against her already sensitive skin. His fingers grasped at her wet skin, holding her tightly against him as he sent her careening over the edge yet again.

Breathless and a bit unsteady on her feet, she collapsed onto the bed as she struggled to draw air into her oxygen-starved lungs. He stretched out beside her and propped his head on one hand as the other lazily traced over the curves still exposed by the towel wrapped around her.

"Good morning," he said once she'd turned her head to meet his gaze.

"You can say that again," she teased. She reached out to gently caressed his jaw, but he grabbed her hand and placed a kiss in the center of her palm.

"Hungry?"

"Are we talking about food, or are we talking about. . ." she glanced down toward the towel that was wrapped around his waist.

He chuckled. "I was talking about food, but if you want. . ."

She placed a hand on his chest and vehemently shook her head. "I'm going to need a few hours to recharge after that shower."

"Good, because I'm starving."

"Was there somewhere in particular you wanted to go?"

He glanced over at the clock on her beside table. "How long do I get you for again?"

"I do believe I was the one writing the check last night," she clarified with a smirk.

Leaning down he kissed her as a smile played across his lips. "Details."

Being reminded of the fact that she'd essentially bought him the night before, she suddenly felt embarrassed by her seductive actions. "You're free to go whenever you'd like. I don't think there's a time limit or anything."

"Good," he said as he rose from the bed and grabbed her hands to pull her up beside him. "Go get dressed." He walked over to where his tux was draped over a chair. "And wear something comfortable." He glanced back at her legs. "As much as I loved the way you looked in those heels last night, you might want to go with a comfortable pair of walking shoes today."

She cocked her head to the side. "Where are you taking me?"

"Home," he said simply as he dropped the towel and began getting dressed.

They'd ridden the subway into Brooklyn, so he could stop at his apartment. She'd nosed around his living room while he changed and had been intrigued by the seemingly endless stacks of books on every surface. At first glance it appeared as though every major literary work from the past century was amassed in his tiny apartment.

He'd taken her to eat at a little diner by Coney Island that served breakfast all day. Just like the night before, he'd ordered pancakes with all the sides. She felt like after the strenuous activities they'd been engaged in, she'd burned enough calories to justify eating another huge meal in less than twenty-four hours, so she'd joined him in devouring a huge stack of syrup-laden pancakes.

As she finished her last bite, she saw him glance out the window at the rollercoasters near the boardwalk. "When was the last time you went?"

A nostalgic smile spread across his face. "1942. I made Steve ride the Cyclone and he threw up everywhere."

"Steve Rogers threw up on a rollercoaster?" she asked as her mouth fell open in shock. "The same guy that jumps out of planes with no parachute actually got sick on a carnival ride?"

"He was still a scrawny thing back then," Bucky explained as the memory of that day came back in full force. "It was one of the last days we spent together before shit went sideways."

She wasn't sure why she thought it was a good idea, but seeing the look on his face made her want to slay the demons that had stolen his innocence and youth from him. "Let's go."

"What?"

She pulled some cash from the wallet in her purse and threw it on the table before grabbing his hand. "Let's go." She nodded toward the amusement park. "We'll act like stupid kids and ride rollercoasters all day."

His face lit up as his smile threatened to split his face in two. "Can we play some games, too?"

The child-like wonder in his eyes was all the reassurance that she needed to know she'd made the right call. "Only if you promise to win me the biggest stuffed animal they've got."

______________________

Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 273 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Bucky doesn't seem ready to call an end to their arrangement, does he? Would you complain? I truly doubt it! What about her suggestion to spend the day at the amusement park? Who wouldn't trade their left arm for a chance to ride the Cyclone with Bucky Barnes? Do you think once this day is over, he'll be ready to tell her goodbye, or is the beginning of something special? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!

Bucky had gone straight for the sharpshooter game as soon as they'd finished riding rollercoasters. She wasn't the least bit surprised when he figured out how it was rigged and beat the system time and time again. The attendant started to sweat once he realized Bucky was going to take the top prize, but the crowd that had gathered around them was cheering him on, and Bucky was eating it up.

When the attendant handed her the giant stuffed unicorn, YN had squeezed it tight and started squealing. "It's so fluffy, I'm going to die." Bucky eyed her warily, so she explained. "It's from a movie. . ."

Realization dawned on him. "Right, the cartoon about the evil guy that ends up with three little girls."

She was impressed that he knew his animated movies. "Yeah, _Despicable_ _Me_."

"What are you going to name him?"

"That's easy," she said as she took his hand and started walking out of the park. "Starlite. It's from this cartoon I watched when I was a kid. Rainbow Brite had a talking horse that had a rainbow-colored mane and tail." She looked down at her unicorn. "He wasn't a unicorn—I don't think—but it's close enough."

"It's your unicorn, doll," he said a he led her toward the subway station. "I'm getting hungry again. Why don't we drop him off at my place and go grab something to eat?"

Not seeing any reason to disagree, she willingly followed along with his plan. Starbrite made for an interesting addition to his décor, and she considered leaving him at Bucky's place so he wouldn't forget her once they parted ways at the end of the day.

"I was thinking pizza," Bucky said as they walked down the stairs of his apartment building.

"Pizza works for me."

"There's a great place I go to at least once a week," he explained as he pointed her in the right direction. "I always sit in the same booth and there's this little box on the shelf behind me that I can never get open."

"What do you mean?"

He used his hands to show her the rough dimensions of the box. "It's about this big and it has a three-digit combination lock. I've been going through the possibilities—but no luck yet."

YN had her suspicions about what the box was, but she wanted to wait until she saw it for herself before voicing them aloud.

The restaurant wasn't busy, and the owner beamed as Bucky walked through the door. He showed them to the booth in the back and promptly went back to the kitchen to put in the order for Bucky's usual.

"I hope that's okay," he said once they were alone.. "Joe's so used to me ordering the same thing. . ."

"It's fine," she said with a wave of her hand. "Now show me this box."

He reached behind him and grabbed the tiny box. It was exactly as he'd described with the three-digit numerical lock on the front.

YN looked at the wall for clues and tried the first combination of numbers she saw. She figured it would be too simple, but the lid of the box popped open with ease.

"How'd you do that?" Bucky asked as he stared at her in wonder.

Joe brought out their drinks, so she waited for him to leave before she pointed to the wall behind Bucky.. "The framed menu right above the shelf has Joe's phone number at the bottom—right above where the box sits. I put in the area code, nine-one-seven."

"Huh," he muttered as he shook his head. "The answer was right in front of me the whole time." He started chuckling. "It would've taken me another few weeks to figure out that code at the rate I was going."

"You started with triple zeroes, didn't you?" she asked already knowing the answer.

He nodded his head. "What's in it?"

She pulled out a piece of paper and read the message written on it. "Once upon a time, driving north I saw 40 birds land on a telephone pole. None of them were mockingbirds, but 39 of them seemed to be mocking me. I saw 4 blue jays, 1 wren, and 15 hawks among them. I walked into the woods to the west, and found 73 feet of thorny brush. But when I moved 58 feet to my left, I saw 1 tree with 3 poison ivy vines, and 26 acorns lying on the ground."

"What does that mean?"

A smile broke out on her face as she grabbed her phone and started typing in the clues. "If I'm right, it's a set of coordinates." She pointed to the message. "See here where they talk about 'north' and 'west'?"

"Why would someone put coordinates in a locked box in a pizza parlor?" Bucky asked, still not understanding.

"It's called Geocaching," she explained as the search engine pulled up the results. "People go out and hide things and leave clues for other people to find them." She turned her phone around to show him what she'd discovered. "This clue takes us to Prospect Park."

"What's hidden there?" he asked as he began to grow interested.

She shrugged. "I don't know. We have to go and find it."

Joe chose that moment to set their pizza in the middle of the table, so they held their conversation until he'd left.

"I think we should do it," Bucky mumbled around a bite of food.

"If you're game, then let's go. It should be fun."

They finished their pizza and put the coded message back in the box on the shelf for the next person to find. Catching the subway, they headed to Prospect Park to begin their search. 

From the clues in the message, YN figured they were looking for an area near a telephone pole with thorny bushes and an oak tree. Between the two of them, it only took them around thirty minutes to find the hidden cache.

"Now what do we do?" Bucky asked as he bent down to retrieve the metal ammo box from the hole in the base of the oak tree.

"First we need to make sure we leave the box exactly the way we found it, so check to make sure there's nothing covering it before you take it out."

Bucky brushed aside some leaves and grabbed the box. Flipping open the latch, he turned to her so she could open it up. "Ladies first."

With a huge grin, she opened the lid and looked inside. There was a plastic baggie with a spiral notebook and some pens as well as a dozen or so foreign coins, some small packets of Off! bug repellent wipes, and a few MatchBox cars.

"What is all this stuff?"

"They're just things people left behind for others to find," she explained as she pulled out a few coins to inspect. "Some people have signature items that they leave behind at every cache they find. People who do this a lot almost become celebrities within the community."

"Can you take the stuff?"

"Only if you have something of equal or greater value to replace it with," she said as she put the coins back. "But we do have to sign the log book."

Bucky took the plastic baggie and opened it up to get the notebook. He flipped through the pages and read a few of the notes. "A lot of people do this, don't they?"

She shrugged as she took the notebook and pen from Bucky to add their names. "It's gotten pretty popular over the last few years. I bet the next person to find this is going to lose it when they see that Bucky Barnes was out geocaching." She saw the gleam of interest flare in his eyes. "You're going to become a geocacher, aren't you?"

He nodded. "I was in a toy store the other day and saw a pack of Howling Commando insignia pins. I wasn't sure what I would ever use them for, but I'm thinking that could be my signature item." He paused for a moment as another thought crossed his mind. "Are these in other countries? I could find some of them while I'm out on missions with Steve and leave a pin."

She shook her head and started laughing. "What I have done?"

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 273 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! I will fully admit that I spent more time researching Geocaching than I did writing this story! And now I want to go out and start finding things! Have you ever tried Geocaching? Did you find anything cool? Bucky and the Reader seemed to enjoy it and now Bucky's going to go pro! This part took a lighthearted turn, but I like how at ease they are with each other. Do you think they'll be saying goodbye at the end of the day? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

Bucky had insisted that they go back to his apartment to retrieve Starlite, and she'd gotten more than a few side-eyed stares from the other people on the train as she'd sat beside a some-what feared assassin with a giant stuffed rainbow-colored unicorn in her lap. She didn't care though because Bucky had taken her hand outside of his apartment building and hadn't let go in the past twenty minutes.

The evening was as lovely as it had been the night before and as they walked along the sidewalk back to her building, she dreaded the moment she'd have to part ways with the superhero by her side.

"You really liked that cartoon, didn't you?" he asked.

His question drew her out of her thoughts and had her wondering where on earth his mind had been. "Uh, yeah, I guess." She shrugged. "It was pretty popular when I was kid."

"She was kinda like a superhero, wasn't she?"

"Rainbow Brite?" YN's face scrunched up as she tried to see the character through Bucky's eyes. "I guess she was." She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe I never thought of it that way. I always assumed superheroes came from comic books."

"You still believe in heroes, don't you?" 

Recognizing that this conversation wasn't going to be trivial, she stopped and pulled him out of the flow of pedestrians. "Where is all this coming from?"

"I don't know," he said with a shrug.

One eyebrow rose as she stared him down. "Try again."

Feeling exposed under her intense gaze, he dropped his head and began rubbing the back of his neck. "I just think it's sweet that you never stopped believing in heroes once you grew up."

"Growing up doesn't mean you have to give up the things you liked as a kid," she reminded him as she placed a finger under his chin and forced him to look up at her. "I mean, we just spent the day eating junk food, riding rollercoasters, and going on a treasure hunt."

"I guess you're right," he said as he grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"I wanted to be a superhero when I was a kid," she admitted as she bumped his hip with hers. "What did you want to be?"

"I just wanted to be happy," he said with a sigh. "I grew up during the depression in between wars. Steve was always sick and then his Ma died. I couldn't wait to be done with that damn war so I could come home and take care of Steve and my family."

YN thought about what she knew of Bucky's early life—both from her research and his own stories. "I've seen some of the footage of you and Steve during the war. You seemed so happy and optimistic, even while you were risking your life alongside Captain America."

"I was," he agreed. "When I first saw Steve after the serum, all I could think was that one of my wishes had come true. All that was left was winning the war and going home to my family."

"And now?" she asked, almost terrified of his answer. "Now that you're home, how do you feel?"

"Like I don't deserve to be happy," he admitted as he gave her a sheepish look. "I've been so miserable lately, but then I met you last night. . ."

"And you've been happy for the past twenty-four hours," she finished for him. "You're like Cinderella."

"Huh?"

"Cinderella," she repeated. "The fairy godmother only gave her until midnight to go have fun and then she had to go back to her hum-drum life of misery. You think you're time is almost up."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Isn't it?"

She sighed and shook her head as she tried to figure out a way to put her thoughts into words. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you feel like you deserve to miserable for what you did as the Winter Soldier." She waited to see if he'd contradict her. When he didn't she nodded and kept going. "The guilt you feel for the things they made you do is worse when you allow yourself to be happy, isn't it?" 

She saw the truth of her words in his eyes and her heart broke for him. Reaching out, she laid a hand along his cheek and leaned in to kiss him lightly. "You deserve to be happy, Bucky."

"Do I?"

The look on his face could only be described as raw anguish. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to hunt down every HYDRA agent and burn them at the stake for what they'd done to this wonderful man. Tears began to pool in her eyes, but she took a deep breath and tamped them down.

"Yes," she stated as matter-of-factly as she could. "You're not required to give up the right to be happy just because you were forced to do things against your will. You're allowed to move on with your life. You're allowed to have fun and be happy."

"There's some people that don't feel the same. . ."

"Then they can go straight to hell," she interrupted as her sadness was replaced with anger. "No one gets to judge you, Bucky—least of all yourself."

He tilted his head to one side as he contemplated her. "Where have you been all my life?"

She looked up at her building and laughed. "Not here. As of a few months ago, you could've found me in a fifth-story walkup with leaky pipes and a busted furnace."

"I could've fixed all that for you, you know? I'm pretty handy. . .or at least, I used to be."

Kissing his cheek, she took his hand again and led him toward the front door. "You're still the same man you were, James Buchanan Barnes. You just need to keep reminding yourself of that."

"It's too bad I won't have you around to do it for me," he said as he stopped by the door and gave her a sad smile.

This was the moment she'd been dreading. She knew she didn't want to say goodbye, especially after the conversation they'd just had, but she was scared of making a fool of herself. Looking down at the stuffed unicorn in her arms, she realized that she'd been doing just that all evening long. _Why stop now_, she thought to herself.

"Who says I can't?" she asked before holding her breath to see how he'd respond.

"It's been twenty-four hours, doll," he reminded herself.

She wasn't sure if he was trying to let her down easy, or giving her an out to walk away from him, but she wasn't ready to lose him just yet. "Have you only been spending time with me because I bid on you?"

His eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and sadness. "No, of course not. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met. . ."

She could've let him go on, but she'd heard enough. Grabbing the front of his shirt, she pulled him to her and silenced him with a kiss. He was shocked at first, but eventually his hands found her hips and drew her closer to him as he deepened the kiss.

Pulling away, she rested her forehead against his. "We don't have to say goodbye, Bucky."

A beaming smile spread across his face. "No, I guess we don't."

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 289 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! When I first read this prompt, I kept picturing that scene with Bucky and Steve in the Quinjet from Civil War. "I don't know if I'm worth all this, Steve." I know it's been three years, but that line still kills me every time I hear it! That line is Bucky Barnes entire internal dialogue every single day and it pisses me off. So, I write fanfiction where his friends and the Reader constantly remind him that he deserves to be happy—he did not lose that right when HYDRA captured him. I know I'm preaching to the choir right now, but I just felt like that needed to be said. I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

She'd taken him back to the roof for a dip in the pool, but they'd ended up in the hot tub wrapped in one another's arms instead. He still needed some comfort after baring his soul and she was more than happy to give it to him.

"This is probably not what you imagined when you bid on me last night, was it?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, it kinda was," she admitted. "I was honestly a little shocked when you flirted with me, and then we. . ." She felt heat rush through her at the memory of all they'd done together the night before.

He chuckled as he felt her skin warm beneath his fingers. "What can I say, you bring out the best in me."

She looked into his eyes and framed his face with her hands. "Hearing that makes me happier than you'll ever know."

"You really believe all that stuff you said downstairs, don't you?" he murmured against her cheek as he held her close to him.

"Of course I do."

"Why?"

"Why, what? Why do I believe you deserve better?"

He gave her a half-hearted shrug. "Yeah."

"You know I love Rainbow Brite, right?" She waited for him to nod. "She's not my favorite character."

"Who is?"

"Superman," she said with a smile. "I loved reading his comics as a kid because he was this honest, trustworthy man with the ability to rule the world. But he didn't. All he wanted to do was protect it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Bucky asked, not seeing the correlation between him and the superhero he'd read about as a teenager.

"You're familiar with the character, I assume." He nodded, so she continued. "And you probably know all about green kryptonite, right?"

"It takes away Superman's powers."

"Have you ever heard of red kryptonite?"

He shook his head.

"Red kryptonite removes all of Superman's inhibitions and while he's under the effects, he does things he'd never consider doing normally." She waited for a moment to see if he was following her. "Everyone was so angry with Superman at first, but once they discovered what was wrong, they realized he wasn't to blame."

He sighed as it finally hit him. "You think HYDRA was my red kryptonite."

"Don't you?" she asked, turning it back on him.

"Did everyone forgive Superman for what he'd done while he wasn't himself?" Bucky asked.

YN shrugged. "No, but Lex Luthor was always looking for a chink in Superman's armor. His opinion doesn't matter anyway."

"You make a good point," he admitted as he brushed a thumb across her cheek. "But I'm curious."

She waited a beat to see if he'd elaborate, but he didn't. "About what?"

"Who do you like better? Clark Kent, or Superman?"

"Hmm," she said as she looked off to the side to think about his question. "The tights are pretty sexy, but so are those glasses. Seeing how they're the same man, you can't really have one without the other. Can you?"

"The Winter Soldier isn't Superman, doll," he warned her.

"HYDRA's version of the Winter Soldier isn't, but what about your version?" she asked as she took his vibranium hand in hers. "This isn't the arm HYDRA forced upon you. This one was given to you by the Black Panther himself, and you've chosen to use it to help people instead of hurt them. I'd say that makes you more of a Superman than a Lex Luthor any day."

"I can't fly, though."

"Well, I'm not exactly Lois Lane, so I think we're even there," she teased.

"What?" he asked as an incredulous look came over his face. "You're ten times the woman Lois Lane is. She couldn't even figure out the guy she worked with was the man she was obsessing over."

She had to give him that. "So, where does that leave us?"

He looked around for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "I guess that leaves us in a hot tub on the roof."

A wicked smile spread across her face. "We could be downstairs in my bed. . ."

Not needing to be told twice, he picked her up and hopped out of the hot tub causing her to burst out laughing as he began jogging to the elevator. He had no clue how he'd gotten so lucky to have found such an amazing woman, but he wasn't about to let her go anytime soon.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 307 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! I'm not sure how you feel about Superman, but you have to admit there's a parallel there between him under the effects of red kryptonite and Bucky as the Winter Soldier. I stole a little bit of lore from Smallville for this one, but I don't think anyone minds, do they? She knows just what to say to make him feel better about himself, doesn't she? And it seems like he enjoys being around her, so it looks like these two are probably going to become a thing! Are you happy about that? I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_

YN wasn't sure when it had happened, or if it was even something they'd formally discussed, but as the days turned into weeks, Bucky's things started accumulating in her apartment. It had started out with a toothbrush and a drawer full of clothes for when he stayed over. But then he'd started staying over every night, so his books had started appearing randomly around her living room and bedroom.

She hadn't minded, though. In fact, every time she stumbled across something that belonged to him she felt a rush of pleasure. Knowing that he felt comfortable enough in her home to leave his most treasured belongings said more about the seriousness of their relationship than any words that might have been spoken between them.

She'd even found that she missed him on the nights that he was away on a mission. Her bed felt cold and empty without him beside her and she never slept well when he was away. She knew what was going on, but she wasn't sure she was ready to say those three little words just yet.

Bucky still had his moments of doubts about himself and she had no intentions of rushing him into something he wasn't ready for. She loved their relationship the way it was, and she wasn't the kind of woman that needed flowery declarations of unending devotion. Just knowing that he wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him was enough for the moment.

As time wore on, summer turned to autumn, and then slid right into winter one chilly morning without warning. She'd lived through enough New York winters to know that they were long and harsh, but with the colder weather came some of her favorite holidays.

YN had always heard that the eyes were the window to the soul, but the more time she spent around Bucky, she realized that wasn't true of him. His eyes were gorgeous, and also full of kindness, but it was his smile that told her the truth of his feelings. He had his polite smile that he used during press conferences and social gatherings, but unless his eyes were crinkling at the corners, it wasn't a true smile.

Thanksgiving had seen them at her family's place, and she'd been worried that Bucky would be overwhelmed by a group of strangers, but he'd fit right in. He'd started the day off with his polite smile that had charmed the pants right off of her female relatives, but it wasn't until he'd gone into the living room with the guys to watch football that YN had seen him finally relax. Neither of the two teams on the screen were his favorite, but he cheered right along with the rest of her uncles and cousins as his smile stretched all the way up to the corners of his eyes.

She'd peeked in on him a few times while she'd been on kitchen duty, but once she saw that bright, happy smile, she left him to his male bonding and went back to gossip with the ladies. Seeing as how she was the one with the drop-dead gorgeous superhero boyfriend, she'd become the center of attention and she was more than happy to gush over her amazing beau.

Since most of the Avengers were heading home to their own families, she and Bucky had decided to host a small Christmas dinner at their place for Steve and the other singles that were staying in the city. So that meant they had to decorate her apartment for the holiday.

Bucky had insisted on a real tree, and she'd been more than happy to oblige since he'd offered to carry it ten blocks from the tree lot to their apartment. She'd spent a fortune on decorations, but as they put on some festive tunes and began decorating, she was glad she'd gone all out. Seeing the look of pure joy on Bucky's face as he decorated the tree was worth every penny she'd spent.

Since Thanksgiving, she hadn't seen him without a smile on his face and knowing how happy he was made her that much more happier herself. 

"This place looks amazing, doll," he said once they'd finished decorating and turned on all the tiny strands of lights.

"It does, doesn't it?" she asked as she leaned back against his chest and laid her hands over the arms he'd wrapped around her.

"We're going to have a great Christmas this year," he mused aloud as he imagined all of his friends sitting around the table eating and laughing together. It had been a while since he'd been able to spend a holiday with Steve and he was looking forward to creating some new memories to go with the ones he had of them from before.

"As long I get to spend it with you, I'll be happy," she told him as she twisted her head to give him a smile.

He leaned in and kissed her. 

Turning around, she slid her hands up his torso and linked them behind his neck as she deepened the kiss. It didn't matter how many times she'd kissed him, she knew she'd never grow tired of it.

He pulled away with a sigh as they came up for air. His eyes were bright and his smile was beaming as he gazed at her.

"I love you."

Her heart stopped.

Three little words was all he'd said, but they were the most important three words he could ever say to her.

She swallowed hard and tried to find her voice. "I love you, too."

"I should've told you long ago, but. . ."

Placing a finger to his lips, she smiled. "I know, but it doesn't matter. I've known for a while."

He playfully nipped at her finger to get her to move it so he could speak again. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged. "I wanted to give you time." A mischievous look came over her features before she added, "And I might have had a bet going with Nat that you'd say it before me."

His mouth dropped open in shock. "You made a bet with Natasha? Are you insane?"

"I won, didn't I?" she asked with a smug smile. "And you better tell the truth when she asks on Christmas Day."

He looked even more appalled than before. "Was there a deadline to this bet?"

"Of course there was," she said with a huff. "I had to get you to say it before Christmas Eve or I was out a thousand bucks."

One eyebrow rose in question. "How do I know you didn't manipulate me into saying it?" 

She reached up and brushed a thumb along the creases beside his eyes. "Because you're happy."

"I am happy, doll. Happier than I've ever been in my life. And it's all because of you."

"I was just about to say the same thing."

He brushed his lips across hers. "I love you."

She smiled against his lips. "You've already said that."

"And I'm going to keep saying it until you tell me to stop."

"Then you'd better get used to saying it all day everyday, because I'm never going to tell you to stop."

"That's what I'm counting on, doll," he said as he leaned in closer to kiss her once more.

** _~ The End ~_ **

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading Day 356 of my writing challenge. I hope you enjoyed it! Bucky Barnes's smile is the definition of pure! He doesn't get to smile often, but when he does, it's like an angel has descended from heaven. And there's a difference between his smiles, don't you agree? The one where he's on the Quinjet with Steve in Siberia reminiscing about buying hot dogs and playing carnival games, or in Wakanda during Infinity War is a true smile. The one he gives Steve as he says goodbye in Endgame was so full of pain that it still breaks my heart. Bucky Barnes needs to smile every single day and Marvel had better let him in the new tv series! But back to the story. Did you like the ending? I hate to say goodbye to this Miniseries (I know I say that about all of them, but I love them so much!). It's been a fun adventure and I'm glad to finally give these two a happy ending. I look forward to your comments, and if you enjoyed this story, please consider reblogging!_


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